Most treasured, most precious thing
 

After posting the picture of the gearshift boot it started me thinking... what is the most treasured CMP item I have ever found?

Or, in all the years I have been involved with these vehicles, what is the most amazing moment of discovery you have ever had?

I can think of several on both counts, one where I involuntarily let out a gasp of amazement - and that is probably the only time I can recall that happening, but I'll save that until later in the thread after I hear your experiences.

I've been photographing, researching, building and collecting since I was 16, around 40 years ago, and the most amazing thing is I am still discovering CMPs which are every bit as good as those found then.

Anyway, please feel free to share your experiences of the magic of finding that special something, and if you can please post a picture too. I have a few treasures to reveal, but for starters here's another pic of the gear lever boot.

http://idisk.me.com/oldcmp.net/Publi...322-194808.jpg

People might think it weird getting excited by an old piece of moulded rubber, but when was the last time you saw one of these on a vehicle?

Over to you now...

Most rewarding find
 

Attachment 47968 Attachment 47969 Attachment 47970 Attachment 47971 Attachment 47972
This "Ford 1939-1949, Service Bulletin, Mechanical" manual is my most treasured find to date. It has an embossed, multicolor hard cover with a sturdy metal border around front & back covers. The whole manual is held together by a system of threaded contraptions that are best described as bolts, though you don't see much of this mechanism. Front cover is held to the book by a strong metal hinge. The manual contains hundreds of pages, and the seperate heading pages feel as if they are a form of linen. The heading tabs on each of those pages is an imprinted thick plastic label, and they are actually RIVETED onto the page. Seriously! This level of detail and craftsmanship is just bizarre.

On the first page of the manual there is a number (410) which may be a sequential number of the total manuals made, though I have no way of knowing this for sure.

This manual came from ebay, and sat without bid for 9 days. It was advertised in a rather bland way, and the wording used must have escaped all other buyer searches. This was a while ago now, and I cannot remember if the winning (sole) bid was $40 or $45AUD.

I have recently met a guy who has one similar to this, which was given to him as payment for a substantial amount of work he did on a hot rod restoration. Someone offered me $400 for this manual months ago. I told him (politely) to go to buggery!

Every now & then, I read something new in this book, just for the fun of it.

My wife calls it the 'Harry Potter book of spells', and it does kind of have that appearance.

:cheers:

P.S: Keith, you sick little monkey! Do you have to keep showing that gear boot? It's not bloody fair!

Very satisfying
 

That is a great find indeed, I remember when you discovered it.

But as for:

Yes.
Just wait 'til you se some of the other treasures... :)

When I first became interested in restoring my blitz the fact that the numbers on the dash plate matched the numbers on the engine and chassis were very pleasing to me.

things that make you go ooooow
 

What the chance of finding a NOS carrier dash? Thanks to Keith this will take pride of place on my carrier. Just need a NOS temp gauge to complete.
Note the carrier fuel gauge has a needle but no markings.

Not trying to one up anybody, but my Motley seat would have to rank right up there.

Hi David,
Not trying to one up on you, but my mate has got a complete Motley mount, as seen here.

Euan,

Have you tried MIDWEST MILITARY? in the USA? http://www.midwestmilitary.net/

I see that they have a Universal Carrier on their website. Perhaps he can help as he sure has done a lot of Barn raiding of late.

Oh and a Carrier doesn't need markings: once you run out of fuel, :doh: you aint goin' no-where.

Regards,

Ian

treasure
 

The new old stock bumper bar jewel I got from Brian Ashbury years ago and also the new old stock headlights for the 1941 Ford will soon be fitted to the cab.

Keith I've just ordered 10 more of those gear stick boots if anyone needs one let me know.

Max

Boots
 

Great... I think they'll go like hotcakes!

bootie
 

I'm in! Put me down for one.

boot
 

my hand up for one thanks
as a side note any piccy's of the trip in the wonnangatta magic part of vic

This is a tough one, but I would have to say the map reading light for my HUP.

Hmmm, this is a hard one: I've been really fortunate to round up many new-in-box CMP bits over the years, but the best was probably the complete convoy differential lamp and bracket, NOS in its box, or maybe the half dozen NOS Ford instrument clusters for the conventional type CMP dashboard.

Overall, though, the early WW2 British Tank helmet in excellent condition is amongst my most prized 'collectibles', and one of the few items I retained when we moved to the USA.

On the paperwork side, gosh, there have been some gems! Australian AC1 Sentinel tank operators manual and the ultra-rare workshop manual would have to be high on the list, along with the Russian overprinted GPA manual.

Mike C